Injury woes Reds' Achilles

THE battle for the Treble will be decided in the treatment rooms of Carrington rather than the playing fields of Europe. For, while Manchester United marched irresistibly into the FA Cup final, taking them to within nine games of eternal glory, the price they paid was a high one.

THE battle for the Treble will be decided in the treatment rooms of Carrington rather than the playing fields of Europe.

For, while Manchester United marched irresistibly into the FA Cup final, taking them to within nine games of eternal glory, the price they paid was a high one.

The decisive moment of the simple 4-1 win over Watford was not Wayne Rooney's Hornet-crushing opener early in the game, nor was it Cristiano Ronaldo's swift riposte to Hameur Bouazza's equaliser.

The sight of Rio Ferdinand wincing in pain as he gingerly felt his groin could turn out to be the turning point of a magnificent United season.

From that moment, when the big defender was forced to limp away, United looked vulnerable and edgy at the back.

Edwin van der Sar got an attack of the jitters as he surveyed the wreckage of a defence in front of him. At first he had Patrice Evra at right back, then Darren Fletcher, and with Wes Brown and Gabriel Heinze forming a central defensive partnership, there was cause for concern.

Ferdinand's injury will have gladdened hearts from Maghull to Mayfair and Milan, and on his recovery, and maybe the rehabilitation of Gary Neville and Louis Saha, will United's season turn.

Turmoil

With the defence in turmoil, stiffened only by some typical United resolve and frequently relieved by the attacking genius of the other six players, Watford were simply not good enough to take advantage.

Between now and the end of the season, the challenges will be much stiffer, and United will need every body they can muster.

The upshot is that if the Reds DO pull it off, and end up driving down Deansgate with three trophies at the end of May, as an achievement it will surpass that of 1999. In those heady days, Alex Ferguson had players to throw at any situation, not least the reassurance of four top-class strikers who were all sniping goals and slipping the leash.

The very fact that on Saturday Ferguson had a centre half on the benc, in the shape of 18-year-old Craig Cathcar and left him there when Ferdinand was forced off, tells the tale of United's greatest fear.

Fletcher, unlucky in the extreme after his heroics against Roma, made for a useful man to have on the bench, but even he would not fancy another stint at right back, certainly not against stiffer opposition than Watford were able to provide.